"Nymphomaniac Vol. I" paints a beautiful portrait of passion, tragedy

Mar. 20, 2014

Photo courtesy of Facebook.

Written by

Brad Belemjian

Staff Writer

Lars von Trier has made a name for himself in the world of cinema within the past five years by writing and directing such films as “Melancholia” and the highly controversial “Antichrist.”

The first volume of Von Trier’s two-part sex epic, “Nymphomaniac” concludes his self-proclaimed “Trilogy of Depression” with the story of Joe, portrayed by Charlotte Gainsbourg, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who is taken in off the streets by Seligman, played by Stellan Skarsgård, after she is brutally beaten and left for dead. She begins to reflect back on the events of her life that defined her as a nymphomaniac.

The majority of the film is told through lengthy flashbacks where young Joe, played by newcomer Stacy Martin, begins to explore her insatiable sexual compulsions through dangerous competitions, like determining who can seduce the most men on a train ride, or having at least ten perpetual partners in a single day.

The role of young Joe strikes the perfect balance of eroticism and deep emotional pain all throughout Martin’s incredible performance. Even more impressive is that this is her first role in a feature film. Martin delivers captivating insight into her character and allows the audience to feel her highest highs and her lowest lows.

Shia LaBeouf also stars as Jerôme, the man Joe gave her virginity to and continues to become increasingly infatuated with over the course of the film. Aside from the recent controversy surrounding LaBeouf, he delivers a worthy performance, even though his British accent tends to fade during a few scenes.

Other impressive performances include Christian Slater as Joe’s father, Uma Thurman as a distressed wife and Sophie Kennedy Clark as Joe’s childhood companion. A film such as this one relies on strong, committed actors and actresses to intrigue the audience and bring them into their world, which in this aspect, “Nymphomaniac: Volume I” absolutely accomplishes.

As a writer, Von Trier’s style is like none other’s in the film industry today. His expertly crafted narrative brings his characters to life in ways no writer has ever done. An interesting aspect of this film is the careful inclusion of analogies.

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Von Trier relates the pursuit of sex to fly fishing with the character of Seligman. He incorporates the music of Dmitri Shostakovich and the odd choice of the German metal band Rammstein. The dialogue is sharp, biting and occasionally, quite humorous. Every line is carefully constructed and creates what could have been an offensively exploitative train wreck into a provocative, unflinching look into the life of a distressed woman with a serious mental illness.

Von Trier’s use of visuals in his films is one of his well-known trademarks as a director. During scenes between Joe and Seligman, brief clips of stock footage and home videos intersect the dialogue. For example, Seligman says, “If you have wings, why not fly?” Then a model airplane flying through the air appears on screen without warning. This inclusion of strange visuals may seem unfocused when reading about it, but they add to Von Trier’s vision in unexpected ways. The film as a whole is beautiful with his use of bleak, pastel colors that create a visually appealing experience, while painting a dark, emotional portrait.

Von Trier is no stranger to controversy after his polarizing tale of grief “Antichrist” in 2009. “Nymphomaniac” is no exception. Many have criticized the film as “glorified pornography” but I would have to disagree to a certain extent. While there are multiple scenes of graphic sexual content, it is filmed in such a way that is much more than just pornography. One exception to that point though is in the final scene, which barely crosses the line from provocative art to pornography. Although I have personal issues with the final scene, the last few seconds are imperative to the character progression of Joe.

“Nymphomaniac: Volume I” is a rare, thrilling look into the life of a woman with an uncommon and misunderstood mental illness. Von Trier brings his best elements to the table and creates a film unlike any other. The narrative excels from expert writing and an astounding performance from Martin. “Nymphomaniac Vol. I,” although not for everyone, is a prime example of what careful and passionate filmmaking can create.